Antarctica -
Orion
Hobart - MacQuarie Island - Commonwealth Bay - Cape Denison -
Mawson's Hut - Auckland Is (NZ) - Enderby Island - Lyttleton
What an amazing experience. Having spent my life sailing in warm
waters to find myself on a ship crashing through ice flows in
the coldest, driest and windiest part of the world -
Commonwealth Bay Antarctica - was a shock to say the least. As a
photographer this trip blew me away with the diversity of
shapes, sizes and movement in the ice and then there was the
wildlife - crazy animals - all of them!
Having to dress so warmly to venture out onto the deck in
70knots of wind and minus five Celsius giving a windchill down
to minus 50 was incredible. Antarctica is rumoured to be
addictive and now I see why. The visit to Mawson's Hut was so
humbling - they lived there for two years - and did some amazing
research. With the cross on the hill remembering Mertz and
Ninnis, who died in crevasses during the expedition, I was
reminded of what a tough place it can be.
The sub-Antarctic Islands are then another world again. Strange
plants, incredible geology and animals looking, smelling and
making noises like a Spielberg set or from Jurassic Park. The
Hooker's Sea Lions and their beachmaster males, blonde females
and cute pups were so endearing but it was wise to stay clear!
Nesting albatross allowed us to see just how enormous these
birds are - almost 4m wing spans! I hope the fishing fleets
don't kill them all off with their long-lines.
Orion was an incredibly comfortable ship - her stabilisers meant
a very easy and pleasant ride. To sit in the Constellation
Dining Room with a barometer showing a drop from 998 to 967
millibars (Cyclone!) whilst having to decide whether to have the
Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon was tough! And every time you sat
down to a meal the albatross which wouldn't come close enough to
photograph while you were out on the deck would fly past the
window!
An experience too challenging to describe in a few words - I
want to go again.
| Email
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len@lenzell.com
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0407 456 288 (domestic) |
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